I remain mute. Sitting mutely and squarely on the fence seems like the only safe option when both sides offer nothing but societal toxicity and fractioning. And so my silenced fears take on a life of their own; trying to snuff them out actually feeds their flame, making them bigger than anything else going on around me right now. I am the voiceless expat.
Read MoreThese Old Blue Socks ...
I've got my Dad's old fuzzy blue socks on today. You know the kind; soft, comfy, fluffy, unappealing, and covered in amazing anti-skid plastic-ky stuff on the bottom.
He loved these old blue socks. My sister got them for him when he was dying. They kept his cold feet warm. Or at least ''warmer''.
In the end, it was one of the little comforts she, and anyone, was able to give him. After a lifetime of working and earning and giving ... warm feet were his reward.
It's something to bear in mind when you're out there working, and earning, and giving ... your greatest comfort in the end may be nothing more than a simple pair of fuzzy old blue socks.
We're back in Qatar tonight; after 3 weeks away, experiencing the glory of the Baltics and the Norwegian Fjords. We're back to the sweltering heat and monotony of sand that characterise the ME in August and September.
On Sunday we'll be back to working and earning and giving ...
For tonight, these old blue socks are my reward.
Inspired by the Inspiring ... Body Image and Parkes-Weber Syndrome
My goddaughter Isa-Bella was born with Parkes-Weber Syndrome, an extremely rare syndrome that means she was born with a very BIG right leg. A leg that has way more veins, way more fluid, and way more complications than any leg should have ... A leg that receives and pumps so much blood and fluid that it puts extreme strain on her heart. A leg that is probably 3 times the size of her other leg. One very big leg that is so TINY compared to her indomitable spirit.
Read MoreCruisin' through Ramadan ...
Because even though I'm cruising through Ramadan, not everyone is.
Read MoreThe Smorgasbord House
When moving to your new home in Qatar, it's unrealistic to expect it ‘’all’’. You may have to forsake an amazing kitchen for a grand yard. You may have to give up the extra bedroom to get a top-of-the-line gas cooking range. You may have to forgo the compound of your choice for a stand-alone villa if you want to live within reasonable distance of your child’s school. You may well end up with your own version of a Lego block house ... and you might end up quite pleased ... even quite happy despite it all.
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